This invention relates to apparatus for fabricating undergarment assembly having a front opening, an integral inner pad support segment, and connecting tapes for completion of leg and waist apertures when the garment is applied to the wearer.
Apparatus of the instant invention fabricates a product similar to the undergarment assembly described in co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 09/286355 including a combination of components to attach an elasticized pad support segment to the inside of the briefs.
The apparatus of this invention is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Pat. No. 5,904,802 with certain components eliminated and utilizes a different folding system to deliver stacks of flat unfolded product or stacks of longitudinally and transversely folded product for reduced package size.
The teaching of U.S. Pat. No. 5,904,802 produces a completed brief having leg and waist apertures. The brief is suitable for use by `stepping into` the leg apertures.
The apparatus of the instant invention is arranged to make a product without waist and leg apertures completed and produces a product essentially intended to be applied like a disposable diaper while the wearer is in a prone or squatting position.
The instant invention includes apparatus for advancing, cutoff, and transfer of tape segments about 1" wide (longitudinal machine direction) or cover strip segments having a longitudinal dimension (machine direction) longer than about 6" using techniques described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,725,191 and other tape/segment advancing devices.
Speed ratios between web advancing rolls and the cutoff-transfer roll couples are changed to vary the length of the segments added by these devices.
The product made by the instant apparatus has two parallel stretched elastic strands (or pluralities thereof) added to the pad support segment before it is attached to the inside surface of the innermost segment of the brief according to U.S. Pat. No. 3,828,367 to Bourgeous, U.S. Pat. No. 4,081,301 to Buell.
After side tapes, front closure tape, and the pad support web are added, leg cutouts are made in side margins and the completed assembly is advanced to a cutoff, folding and transfer system for stack delivery.
Using transverse folding principles and apparatus according to U.S. Pat. No. 1,974,149 of Christman, (1934) or U.S. Pat. No. 3,400,641 to Stemmler, the product is folded for package size reduction without completion of leg and waist apertures and delivered in stacks for packaging.